Pippira Siida

25.03.2014 - Experience Sami history and culture at Pippira Siida center, the Siida is located in a beautiful landscape close to Ballangen, only 48 km south of Narvik.

Sami history and culture

Pippira Siida aims to give their guests a taste of the Sami culture in Ofoten. The Mark Sami culture in Ofoten was different from the traditional Sami way of operating the reindeer herds, where nomadic culture and moving across big areas in harmony with the season was the Sami lifestyle.

Mark Sami

The mark sami culture represents a transition from being a traditonal reindeer herder to a farmer. From the beginning of the 1700's and forward, the Sami's settled down in the inlands in Southern part of Troms and Ofoten in Nordland county.

The reasons for why they chose to leave their nomadic existence to become mark sami's, are many. But main reasons could be total loss of reindeer due to poor pastures or the need to secure a better income than what reindeer herding could give.

Experience Pippira Siida

Traditional sami food is served at the café, such as bidos - a soup with a lot of reindeer meat, onion, potatoes and carrots.

Accomodations with all fascilities and great outdoor areas for hiking or skiing, lassoing and learning about braiding leather strings and how to knit baskets from the birch bark on the trees - these are all greit experiences that you will have at Pippira Siida.

A visit in harmony with the nature at Pippira Siida is highly recommended!